Tara, Queensland

Tara is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Tara had a population of 1,980 people.[1]

For other uses, see Tara (disambiguation).

Tara
Queensland
Commercial Hotel
Tara is located in Queensland
Tara
Tara
Coordinates27.2766°S 150.4572°E / -27.2766; 150.4572 (Tara (town centre))
Population1,980 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density1.532/km2 (3.967/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4421
Area1,292.6 km2 (499.1 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Western Downs Region
State electorate(s)Warrego
Federal division(s)Maranoa
Localities around Tara:
The Gums Wieambilla Montrose
Kogan
The Gums Tara Goranba
The Gums Moonie Marmadua

Geography

Tara is on the Darling Downs. The town is at the centre of the locality. Immediately surrounding the urban area of Tara, there are a number of rural subdivisions of 'lifestyle blocks'. The blocks are usually between 13 and 40 ha in area. The population of the 2000 Rural Subdivision blocks exceeds that of the town itself.

The Glenmorgan railway line traverses the locality from east (Goranba) to west (The Gums). There are two railway stations within the locality:

History

Baranggum (also known as Barrunggam, Barunggam Parrungoom, Murrumgama) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Baranggum people. The Baranggum language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Western Downs Regional Council, particularly Dalby, Tara, Jandowae and west towards Chinchilla.[7]

The town was surveyed in May 1910 by Leonard Shield. The name Tara was used as the name for a pastoral run on 25 March 1852. It is assumed that it is a reference to the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland.[3]

Tara Provisional School opened on 23 January 1911 but was renamed Laurndel Provisional School in 1912. In 1915 it was renamed Burrowes Provisional School. In 1923 it became Burrowes State School. It closed in 1946.[8] It was located to the south-west of Tara just north of the Glenmorgan railway line at 27.2914°S 150.3515°E / -27.2914; 150.3515 (Burrowes State School).[9]

Tara State School opened on 21 August 1912. On 28 November 2004, it was renamed Tara Shire State College.[8] It celebrated its centenary in 2012.[10]

Myra Provisional School opened in 1911 and closed circa 1929. It reopened circa 1944 and closed circa 1945.[11]

In 1914, a Methodist Church was built in Tara.[12]

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School was established in 1965 by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. From 1978, the school has had a lay principal.[13]

Tara Library opened in 1987 and had a major refurbishment in 2009.[14]

On 14 March 2011 a blockade against coal seam gas development began at a property called Kenya near Tara. The following day a woman was arrested after she stopped the movement of a bulldozer working for Queensland Gas Company.[15] The next month Bob Irwin was arrested and fined for participating in a rally at the same location. He was protesting against plans to build a coal seam gas pipeline.[16] Local landowner Dayne Pratzky, now an anti-coal seam gas activist, features in the 2015 movie-length documentary Frackman.

On 12 December 2022, Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were murdered at the nearby locality of Wieambilla. The two constables were based at Tara Police Station (27.2746°S 150.4585°E / -27.2746; 150.4585 (Tara Police Station)) at the time of the incident.[17]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Tara had a population of 2,297 people.[18]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Tara had a population of 1,980 people.[1]

Economy

Important industries in the area around Tara include wheat, beef, wool and gas.

Education

St Joseph's School is a Catholic primary (Preparatory to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 3 Fry Street (27.2751°S 150.4602°E / -27.2751; 150.4602 (St Joseph's School)).[19][20] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 26 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 4 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).[21] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 23 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 4 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).[22]

Tara Shire State College is a government primary and secondary (Early Childhood to Year 12) school for boys and girls at 22 Binnie Street (27.2799°S 150.4588°E / -27.2799; 150.4588 (Tara Shire State College)).[19][23] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 359 students with 37 teachers (36 full-time equivalent) and 30 non-teaching staff (23 full-time equivalent).[21] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 354 students with 39 teachers (38 full-time equivalent) and 28 non-teaching staff (22 full-time equivalent).[22] The school includes a special education program.[24]

Amenities

Tara has a library at 31 Day Street operated by the Western Downs Regional Council.[25]

Attractions

Attractions near Tara include Southwood National Park, a remnant area of the southern brigalow belt.

The Commercial Hotel has two murals painted by artist Hugh Sawrey, from nearby Kogan. Painted in 1960, they are You’ll come a waltzing Matilda with me and Clancy’s gone to Queensland droving.[26][27]

Coal seam gas controversy

After the establishment of the Surat Basin Coal Seam Gas (CSG) development in 2011, a number of residents of Tara reported unusual health conditions which they believed to be related to the CSG development. While initially Queensland Health reported that living conditions were the likely cause, many of the reported symptoms (particularly in children) corresponded with typical symptoms of hydrocarbon exposure. Independent water analysis of private dam water has also shown excessive levels of lead and hydrocarbons, however a causal link between water analysis results and CSG activities appears to be a matter of ongoing debate.

In 2013, the Queensland Government conducted an inquiry into Coal Seam Gas in the Tara Region and a risk assessment on the health and environmental impacts, concluding that "a clear link can not be drawn between the health complaints by some residents in the Tara region and impacts of the local CSG industry on air, water or soil within the community."[28]

In 2016, the Australian Government conducted a senate inquiry into unconventional mining.[29] Many residents of Tara made submissions to this inquiry. Some residents have accused the state and federal government of attempting to brush these reports under the rug, and providing inadequate resources for testing in order to promote a pro-mining agenda.

Lock the Gate Alliance continue to lobby against coal seam gas in the area, and have produced a set of first-hand accounts in short film format called Voices from the Gaslands to highlight the ongoing struggles for the community.[30][31]

See also

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Tara (Qld)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  2. "Tara – town in Western Downs Region (entry 33316)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  3. "Tara – locality in Western Downs Region (entry 47749)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  4. "Tara – railway station in Western Downs region (entry 33318)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  5. "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  6. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  7. "Baranggum". State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  8. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  9. "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m47" (Map). Queensland Government. 1939. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  10. "100 Years of educating in Tara". Tara Shire State College. 5 December 2019. Archived from the original on 2 April 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  11. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  12. "METHODIST SYNODS". The Brisbane Courier. No. 17, 721. Queensland, Australia. 31 October 1914. p. 16. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "History - St Joseph's School, Tara". St Joseph's School, Tara. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  14. "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  15. Lisa Martin (15 March 2011). "Great-granny arrested in gas blockade". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  16. "Bob Irwin fined over gas protest". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 18 May 2011. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  17. Read, Cloe (12 December 2022). "Six dead, including two police officers, after shooting and siege at rural property". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  18. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Tara (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  19. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  20. "Home - St Joseph's School, Tara". St Joseph's School, Tara. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  21. "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  22. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  23. "Tara Shire State College". Tara Shire State College. 4 December 2019. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  24. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  25. "Tara Library". plconnect.slq.qld.gov.au. State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 22 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  26. "Oil town has". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 29, no. 42. 21 March 1962. p. 4. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  27. Cooke, Glenn R (2009). "Hugh Sawrey: Biography". Design & Art Australia Online. Archived from the original on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  28. "Coal seam gas in the Tara region". Queensland Government. 24 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  29. "Select Committee on Unconventional Gas Mining". Australian Parliament. 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  30. "Tara". Lock the Gate. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  31. "Gaslands". Lock the Gate. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.

Further reading
  • A History of Tara and District with Addenda 1840-1960 by Hector M Ferguson.
  • Tara Shire History 1840-1988 by Tara & Districts Historical Society.

Media related to Tara, Queensland at Wikimedia Commons


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